Spokane, WA- Fresh off of a 3-1 win at home against AV Alta FC, attention turned to the Richmond Kickers (0-2-2), as Spokane sought to take advantage of back to back home matches to start stringing positive results together.
Spokane got off on the right foot within the first ten minutes of the game, with their best chance coming in the form of a Joe Gallarado rocket that rattled off the crossbar in the 8th minute of action.
That aggressive approach did not take long to pay off, as Spokane found the back of the net in the 11th minute thanks to a beautifully delivered cross by Lucky Opara, that was volleyed into the top right corner by Medgy Alexandre.
Photo: Spokane Velocity FC
Less than 5 minutes later, Alexandre showcased his play-making abilities as his excellent work off the left wing resulted in a perfectly weighted cross that was easily slotted home in the 16th minute by Jack Denton, who continued his impressive run of form over the last two matches.
Photo: Spokane Velocity FC
For the next 18 minutes, Richmond seemed content to preserve a 2-0 scoreline, and allowed the Velocity to continuously pile on the pressure. However, Richmond took advantage of a rare offensive passage of play, and halved the deficit, as Tarrik Pannholzer tucked away a nicely delivered cross off the left wing in the 34th minute.
As the first 45 minutes were winding down to a close, it was clear that Spokane had let Richmond find their footing in the match, allowing them to create a number of dangerous moments before the half-time whistle.
The early goings of the second half only served to reflect that sentiment, as Richmond was clearly the team pulling the strings. Spokane’s frustrations were starting to show, as Joe Gallarado found himself getting shown a yellow for a cynical 54th minute tackle in the midfield.
In typical Spokane fashion, though, they quickly let the fans breathe a sigh of relief, as 3 minutes later, Shavon John-Brown sliced through Richmond’s unorganized backline and restored Spokane’s 2-goal cushion with a tidy finish in the 57th minute.
Photo: Spokane Velocity FC
As the half played out, the match lulled into a sloppy affair, as both sides seemed to lose precision in the final third, and misplaced passes were a common sight. Both teams also slipped into a physical battle, culminating in a Colin Fernandez yellow card in the 79th minute, 30 seconds after his introduction to the game.
In the end, Spokane was able to outlast any sort of pressure posed by Richmond, and preserve a welcome 3-1 victory at home, marking the end of a brutal 3 game stretch in the last 10 days. The Velocity can now look forward to a 14 day break in competition, which Coach Veidman welcomes with open arms. “I don’t think I have had the same starting eleven in any game yet, because I can’t…there has been a need to rotate and manage the roster,” said Veidman during his post-match interview. That same sentiment was echoed by center-back Cameron Miller, who has accumulated a staggering number of minutes so far this season, “I’m tired. I’m looking forward to these next three days…get the feet up, and just recover.”
Photo: Spokane Velocity FC
Spokane now turns its attention to USL Cup competition, as they will travel to take on Sacramento Republic FC on April 25th.
The Velocity will be back at ONE Spokane Stadium on May 10th, to face FC Naples in USL League One play.
